Bankers appointed to find buyers for Rugby World Cup commercial rights April 20, 2021 The Rugby World Cup could be set for a commercial shake-up with City bankers now working with rugby’s governing body. Jefferies and Rothschild have been appointed by World Rugby to appraise their fundraising options after a year disrupted by Covid-19, Sky News’ Mark Kleinman has reported. Sources told Kleinman that the body would speak to [...]
Why the European Super League can prove to be a winner for all stakeholders and future-proof the game April 20, 2021 The proposed European Super League (ESL) represents the biggest shake-up of football since the creation of the Premier League and Champions League. As with any significant change, the plan has received its share of critics, many of whom suggest that it represents a money grab by the most powerful clubs. However, far from weakening football, [...]
European Super League: Boris Johnson to meet officials amid football row April 20, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today host a meeting of football officials and fan representatives to discuss England’s response to the planned European Super League. Furious fans held demonstrations yesterday following the announcement that the Premier League’s six biggest clubs will join the new breakaway competition. The plans have also sparked a backlash among rival [...]
Furious UEFA warns clubs: Join European Super League and we will ban you and your players April 20, 2021 UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned the football body is working to ban breakaway European Super League clubs and their players from its competitions “as soon as possible” and urged domestic leagues to follow suit. Twelve clubs, including the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’, are part of plans which would fundamentally alter the shape of [...]
European Super League: How much do clubs stand to earn? Where is the money coming from? And will the rest of football be worse off? April 19, 2021 The driving force behind plans for a new European Super League is money – specifically, the chance to make more of it. But exactly how much money do the six English clubs involved – Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur – and the other six known founder teams – Real Madrid, [...]
European Super League: UK government vows to do ‘whatever it takes’ to block proposal April 19, 2021 The UK government will do “whatever it takes” to block six Premier League teams from creating a new breakaway European Super league including withdrawing previous funding, according to culture secretary Oliver Dowden. Dowden told MPs today that last night’s announcement from 12 clubs – including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – [...]
The legal issues around a European Super League: Can clubs really be banned from domestic leagues and players barred from World Cups? April 19, 2021 The battle lines over a European Super League may have been drawn but a legal fight that could last for years is only just beginning. Football authorities including the Premier League and Uefa have warned the rebel clubs they will be kicked out of existing domestic and European competitions if they push ahead. Players, too, [...]
Former BT boss Gavin Patterson approached over Super League top job April 19, 2021 The former chief executive of BT is said to have been approached about heading up a controversial new football competition dubbed the European Super League (ESL). Organisers made an informal overture to Gavin Patterson, who left the telecoms giant in 2019, over becoming the inaugural boss of the venture, Sky News reported. His name is [...]
Tottenham Hotspur sack Jose Mourinho after 17 months – and just days before cup final April 19, 2021 Tottenham Hotspur have sacked manager Jose Mourinho, the club has confirmed. The move comes less than a week before the Carabao Cup final and just 17 months after his appointment. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said: “Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a club. “Jose [...]
Boris Johnson vows to block European Super League for English clubs April 19, 2021 Boris Johnson has this morning slammed the new European Super League proposal and has vowed to block English football teams from competing in the new breakaway league. Johnson told reporters today that the proposal, which includes England’s six richest clubs, was “not good news for fans” after last night’s announcement sparked global outrage and brought [...]